Zenda Farms Preserve

06/09/2026

🌱A big shoutout to our amazing Zenda Community Gardeners who have been hard at work turning their plots into something beautiful. From tiny seedlings to thriving veggies, flowers, and herbs, the garden is officially coming to life! 🍅

🥬Thank you for helping grow not only fresh food, but also a wonderful community here at Zenda Farms! 💚

06/09/2026

🎉 Just a few days away! Join us this Friday for the Annual Zenda Community Picnic & Volunteer Recognition at Zenda Farms Preserve! 💚

Come celebrate another great year of conservation, connect with fellow community members, enjoy a delicious meal, and help us recognize the incredible volunteers who make TILT's work possible.

📍 Zenda Farms Preserve
📅 Friday, June 12
⏰ 5:30 PM – 7:30 PM

🎟️ Reserve your tickets online, call the TILT Office at 315-686-5345, or purchase tickets at the door.

06/08/2026

⚠️ Trail Update ⚠️

❎The Trail Spur at Zenda Farms Preserve is temporarily closed today and will reopen tomorrow.

🌿🥾The good news? The rest of the trails at Zenda Farms Preserve remain open and ready to explore! You can also check out any of TILT's other preserves and trails throughout the region for your outdoor adventure today.

💚Thank you for your patience, and happy hiking!

06/04/2026

"Birds Rise Above It All . . ."

That was the signature sign-off of renowned ornithologist Sherri Smith (known to many longtime readers as Gerry Smith). Smith's regular Thousand Islands Life columns blended scientific knowledge with a contagious sense of wonder. They reminded readers that birds are not just passing visitors in the sky, but essential threads in the ecological fabric of the Thousand Islands.

Now, the Thousand Islands Land Trust and the Northern New York Community Foundation have established the Birds Rise Above It All Fund to honor her legacy by supporting habitat conservation, bird education, and citizen science across the region. And there's good news: a new $25,000 matching opportunity is on the table for 2026.

In this month's issue, Bridgett McCann shares Sherri's legacy, why her words still matter, and how you can support the Birds Rise Above it All Fund. Link in comments.

Photo: Always a familiar face at TILT’s annual Zenda Community Picnic, Sherri Smith loved sharing her passion for birds with people of all ages. Photo courtesy of the Thousand Islands Land Trust.

05/21/2026

🌱 This week, a few of our amazing gardeners helped upgrade the irrigation system and install a new irrigation line in preparation for planting later this month.🍅

While the garden may not be bursting with veggies just yet, behind-the-scenes work like this helps set the stage for a successful growing season ahead. ☀️🌿

Stay tuned… planting season is almost here! 👩‍🌾

05/16/2026

Do you want your organization to have the chance to engage with more than 500 people in one night?

☀️The annual Zenda Community Picnic is returning on Friday, June 12 from 5:30–7:30 PM at Zenda Farms Preserve , and we’re looking for community partners to join us for an evening full of food, fun, and community connection.

🎉Last year’s picnic welcomed more than 500 attendees, making it a great opportunity to share your mission, programs, services, or upcoming events with the community. Please note that this is a community engagement opportunity—sales are not permitted at partner tables.

🌟Interested in hosting a table at the event?
Contact TILT Community Engagement Coordinator Delaney McIlrath at [email protected] or call the TILT office at 315-686-5345 for more information.

We’d love to have you join us for this exciting community celebration! 💚

05/14/2026

🎉 The Annual Zenda Community Picnic & Volunteer Recognition is less than a month away! 🌿

🌞Join the Thousand Islands Land Trust for a fun kickoff to summer celebrating conservation, community, and our amazing volunteers! Enjoy live music, classic picnic food, games, kids’ activities, a petting zoo, pony rides , local exhibits, and more.

📍 Zenda Farms Preserve
📅 June 12, 2026
⏰ 5:30–7:30 PM

💚It’s a perfect evening to connect, explore, and celebrate everything that makes this region special.

🎟Register and pay online at tilandtrust.org/events, call 315-686-5345, or pay at the door. Volunteers attend free as a thank you.

We hope to see you there!

05/12/2026

🚧 Heads up, Zenda visitors!🚨

🥾The Zenda Trail Spur (the loop circling the vineyard) will be closed today for maintenance.

Feel free to enjoy the rest of the trails at Zenda Farms while work is underway—we’ve got plenty of beautiful trails to explore! 🌿
Thanks for your understanding! 💚

05/08/2026

Zenda Farms Preserve glowing in the evening light as the sun dips below the horizon—fields, barns, and skies all wrapped in that quiet golden calm. 🌾✨

Do you prefer zenda at sunrise, when everything feels fresh and wide open… or at sunset, when the whole landscape softens into color and stillness?

04/29/2026

🌸Have you heard of “corridor gardens”? This growing gardening trend is all about creating spaces that help connect wildlife to food, water, and shelter as they move between natural areas.

🌟Even small changes can make a big difference:
• Leave a patch of lawn unmowed
• Let seed heads and leaves stay through the winter
• Add native plants, pollinator flowers, or a small water source
• Swap solid fencing for more wildlife-friendly boundaries

🐝By turning our backyards and gardens into stepping stones for birds, bees, butterflies, frogs, and other wildlife, we can help support healthier ecosystems right at home.

Sometimes, doing a little less in the garden can do a whole lot more for nature. 🌿💚

👉Learn more here: https://www.homesandgardens.com/gardens/corridor-gardens

Discover how your garden can support animals on their journeys to wilder areas